Guest post: Common Potty Training Problems

2017 – so much to look forward to..and then, there’s the small issue of potty training. Needless to say that didn’t make it onto my ‘excited about’ list this January. It’s okay though, I reckon we have a while to remain in denial. I know after last time I’ll definitely be waiting until we’re sure the timing’s right, and that I’m prepared in every sense of the word.

Thankfully, Potty HQ got in touch to offer us all some much needed advice…and I need all the help I can get.

x MMT

Common Potty Training Problems

The switch from diapers to potty is frequently not an easy one.

The majority of parents and kids experience a lot of problems which make potty training a bit of struggle rather than an even and smooth transition. If your child seems not to be getting it right when his or her mates are already out of diapers, do not despair.

Something might be wrong somewhere. Check out these common potty training problems and our proposed solutions. Awareness of what the problem is may be all you need to get the issue resolved, to make you and your child more confident and happy.

Not showing interest

If your child has no interest in potty training, it is possible that he is not yet ready to move on to this new stage of life. To decipher what may be wrong, the following might help:

To get your kid interested to use the potty, one of the desired orientations is to teach your child what potty is, its use and why it is essential that he uses it.

The next orientation you need to give to your child is to always take your child with you whenever you use the toilet.

If you discover that your child can stay dry for about two hours at a time, and he can understand simple instructions like wash your hands, if he can get on and get off his potty without help, can differentiate when he is wet and dry or can sometimes show signs that he want to use the potty like squatting, sudden grab of his crotch, he may be ready for potty training.

However, if your child doesn’t fulfill one or more of them, you should put off potty training and try again after a while.

If your child fulfils all the above conditions but still not making progress in potty training, it is possible that he is afraid or anxious to use the potty. To get him prepared to make use of the potty, you need to first address his anxiety and fear.

Your child is scared of the potty

Some children are eager to learn and grow but are scared of taking a leap. If this is the case with your child, you can get him interested to use the potty by trying the following:

Help your child to be independent and feel grown up. Kids like the feeling of growing up. Tell your child that he or she is now a big boy or a big girl and that big girls and big boys make use of their potty.

They no longer go about in diapers. Tell him or her that as big boy/big girl, he is free to make use of potty anytime he wants.

By so doing you would be making him proud that he is now grown up to choose when and when not to use the potty. If he is already in school or in a child care center, tell the teacher or the care giver to let him use the toilet by himself.

Take the child with you to the shop to buy large kids underpants decorated with favorite children cartoons. Let him or her pick fascinating colors and designs.

Let your child know that you are buying the underpants because he is now a big boy and big boys make use of underpants instead of diapers.

You may also offer him rewards anytime he uses his potty or stays dry. Your rewards may be putting up stickers to indicate period or days he successfully makes use of the potty.

Your child uses the potty to wee but not for bowel movement

If your child can perfectly make use of the potty to wee but not for bowel movement, he may be scared of messing the potty up. It is possible that he has seen other kids mess up the potty during bowel movement and the parents or teachers overreacted.

You can encourage him to use the potty, help him to successfully use the potty without making a mess. When he is done, offer him or her rewards to boost his ego and make him or her yearning to do it again and again.

The child uses the potty at home but wouldn’t use the toilet at daycare or school

Try to discover the toilet routine in the center or the school. If your child is scared to make a switch from potty chair to a standard toilet, you can buy a potty chair for him or her to use at the center or school.

If your child feels intimidated because the teachers take the children in group to use the toilet, ask them to let him use the toilet privately and alone.

Your child was toilet trained but began experiencing accidents

Things that may result to this issue are changes in the family like welcoming a new baby into the home, moving home or changing school.

It is natural. Try not to make fuss about it or make your child feel bad about the accidents.

Clean up the mess without any negative comment. You may put him or her back into diapers for some time and start the potty training all over again.

There are other issues children have like withholding bowel movement which can result to constipation; urinating perfectly in the potty but failing with bowel movement; playing with his or her poop and so on.

Each child is unique. No matter the potty training problem your child is having, there is a solution to it. Try not to be overly worked up seek advice if you need to.

This was an interesting read; I was fairly lucky with Amelia – she woke up one Saturday and said “yuk! I don’t want to wear stupid nappies anymore” so we went to he shops and bought some big girl knickers! Bar the obvious few accidents she’s basically been dry since then, I’d say about 2 weeks until the accidents stopped. I always had a potty out and about in the house, in fact I kept it near (but not with) her toys, from waaaay before she was ready to use it, just so that she ha an awareness of it and it’s use. Turned out she went straight for the toilet anyway!!x

Connect with MMT

Hey, how's it going? I'm Sarah, a mum of two little girls, living in the Garden of England that is Kent.
Life is great, but don't expect it to be all rose tinted glasses in this blog. (Maybe rosé tinted?). Being a Mum is the nuts, an absolute game changer, but also flippin' harder than I was expecting it to be! This blog is a little snippet into the life of a (once) cool Mum, muddling through this chapter of life called PARENTING x